Insufficient deep and restful sleep can cause serious health challenges. The human body requires adequate sleep to rejuvenate cells and repair damage. Prolonged insomnia can really take its toll on the body and mind, and this disorder is often times difficult to control.
The good news is that symptoms of insomnia may not be as hard to combat as you think. Of course, taking medication helps, but medication has a nasty side effect of leaving you feeling groggy in the morning. For many insomnia sufferers, medication may not be the best solution.
It’s very possible that you have preventable behaviors that are causing your sleeplessness.
Sleeping and eating habits directly affect your ability to fall asleep. These easy adjustments to your routine may leave you sleeping like a baby.
Are Your Sleeping Habits Keeping You Awake at Night?
Your challenge with insomnia could very well be due to your sleeping habits. Try these strategies to develop effective sleeping habits:
1. Have a consistent bedtime. Try to head to bed at the same time every night. That way, your brain and body can adjust to sleeping at that time.
2. Control the temperature. The temperature in your room may be affecting how well you sleep at night. Is your thermostat turned up too high? Lower temperatures trick our bodies into rest to conserve energy and body heat. Consider adjusting the temperature and see if you notice a difference: 6 to 10 degrees cooler than your
daytime temperature is sufficient.
3. Eliminate as much light as possible. A darker room is more likely to induce sleep than a bright room. Therefore, if you’re accustomed to going to bed with the lights on, try turning them off and see if the results are any different. Consider purchasing a sleep mask to block out any ambient lighting.
Could You Be Eating Your Way to Sleeplessness?
In many cases, how and what you eat could be the reason you can’t sleep. Consider these tips and adjust your diet as necessary so you can have more restful nights:
1. Avoid eating heavy late night meals. If you’re up late at night, you’ll likely get hungry. However, eating heavier meals too late at night can put a lot of pressure on your digestive system. When your body is trying to digest food, it can keep you awake.
2. Avoid caffeine consumption. While you might be a caffeine lover, it could very well be the cause of your insomnia. Remember that caffeine is a stimulant, which is why it keeps you going during the day. But it will also keep you going at night because its effects can last for several hours!
If possible, avoid caffeinated beverages for at least five hours before you go to bed. Also, look for hidden sources of caffeine.
3. Try drinking milk before bedtime. Milk contains amino acids that are converted into a sleep-inducing compound when consumed. A glass of milk at night about an hour before bedtime can kick your sleeping into gear!
Once you understand your body and its sleep cycles, you may be able to formulate a plan to sleep at night without the aid of medication! By changing a few habits, you’ll allow your body to be perfectly in tune with its signals for rest.
